American 1000 Guineas Draws Field of Nine

The stakes for 3-year-old fillies shares the spotlight with the Arlington Classic.

Robert Smithen’s Bay to Bay, winner of the Natalma Stakes (Can-IIIT) at Woodbine last fall, is prominent in a field of nine 3-year-old fillies entered for the third running of the American 1000 Guineas May 22 at Arlington Park. The $200,000 race will be run at one mile over the turf and share the spotlight with its male counterpart, the $100,000 Arlington Classic.

A daughter of Sligo Bay—Bala, by With Approval, Bay to Bay has made only two starts since that graded stakes victory, finishing second in the Mazarine Stakes (Can-III) on Woodbine's Polytrack in October and more recently running second in the Appalachian Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Keeneland last month. Trained by Brian Lynch, Bay to Bay will be ridden by Robby Albarado.

Two other graded stakes-placed runners are included in the field, Koolmen Racing Stables’ Orchestrator and Team Valor International & Highfield Stock Farm’s Chantilly Nayla.

Orchestrator, a daughter of Bernstein, finished fourth in the Appalachian after previously capturing the Bourbonette Oaks (gr. III) over Turfway Park’s Polytrack. The Ken McPeek trainee does have a turf victory, taking a Keeneland allowance race last fall. Arlington’s leading jockey Junior Alvarado picks up the mount.

Chantilly Nayla, a Wayne Catalano-trained daughter of Five Star Day, ran second in the Beaumont Stakes (gr. II) at Keeneland in April. Prior to that victory, she won the $60,000 Mardi Gras Stakes on dirt at the Fair Grounds, though that race was originally slated to be run on turf. She did win her lone turf start, a first-level allowance in New Orleans. Michael Baze, currently second in the Arlington standings, will be aboard Chantilly Nayla for the first time.

Also of note is Patinack Farm’s Queen of the Creek. The Tom Proctor charge makes her stakes debut in the 1000 Guineas after the well-bred but lightly raced Theatrical filly won an allowance race over the Keeneland lawn last month. Jose Lezcano will be in the irons.

Another filly of interest is French-invading Kilmore Quay. A daughter of Traditionally, Kilmore Quay has done all her running to date in France, most recently scoring a stakes at Longchamp in her last start. Trained for her American debut by Darrin Miller, Jesus Castanon will have the mount. She is owned by Silverton Hill.

Another stakes winner is John and Kim Glenney’s Go Ask Alex, who won the $100,000 Indiana Distaff at Indiana Downs earlier this month. Jon Court will ride the John Glenney-trained daughter of Afleet Alex.

The 1 1/16-mile Arlington Classic drew a field of 10. The 4-1 morning-line choice is Alfarabi, who has produced both of his wins on grass, including an optional claiming score when defeating Setsuko at Santa Anita in January. The Yes It's True colt invades from Kentucky, where he was most recently fifth in the Transylvania Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Keeneland. James Graham has the mount for Eoin Harty.

Gleam of Hope was beaten just a half-length for third by eventual Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner Super Saver two starts back in the Tampa Bay Derby (gr. III) on the main track, and has a turf win in allowance company as a juvenile.

Glen Hill Farm’s Family Foundation finished third in the grade III Bourbon at Keeneland last fall and followed that with a second-place finish in the state-bred restricted Appleton Juvenile Turf at Calder to conclude his freshman season. In two starts this year, the son of Repriced ran fourth in the restricted Sophomore Turf at Tampa Bay Downs and eighth, beaten only four lengths, in a second-level open allowance at Keeneland. Jose Lezcano gets the call.

Estrorace’s Workin For Hops looks to rebound from a fifth-place finish in the American Turf (gr. IIT) at Churchill Downs. Earlier this year, the Mike Stidham-trained son of City Zip won the Grindstone Stakes at the Fair Grounds. Robby Albarado has been named to ride.

The Arlington Classic serves as the first leg of the Mid-America Triple which will continue with the grade II $300,000 American Derby July 17 and conclude with the grade I $400,000 Secretariat Stakes on Arlington Million Day Aug. 21.